In-house data.
Use it or lose it?
Building a customer and prospect database is one
of the most important things you'll ever do for your business. In this issue we'll look at why your database is the best money can buy and tips for collecting customer data.
Why is your in-house database better?
Here are three reasons why your in-house database is the best data money can buy:
- The people on your in-house list have already shown an interest in your business.
- You'll be communicating with the right person. This helps avoid wasting time and money.
- People who have bought a product or service from you before are more likely to buy again or recommend you.
Ask yourself, Do we really use our list? Do we collect data at every opportunity? If you're not using it you're losing it. People and businesses are always changing. This can result in your database going out of date extremely quickly. A simple email once a month can help you monitor any changes in your database. Spotting changes to email addresses is quick, easy and very low cost. You can then use this information to check that the person is still contactable and update your database accordingly.
What data should you collect?
Collect as much as you can. The most important data to collect is:
- Full Name
- Address
- Email address
If you're one of the lucky one's and your customers are very open with their information then collect more. If they're not, collect a small amount of data at the first opportunity and then build on this over time. People will often tell you more at a later date because they have built trust in you and have a better knowledge of how you will use the data.
Above all else keep it simple, you can always ask for more. Ensure that you can store the data effectively and that you will use it. The more data you collect the more data management you'll need to do at a later date.
If you have a question about this email you can contact us or email marketing@newzapp.co.uk |
